The Ultimate Guide to Canoe Paddles

You have a canoe, now its time to choose the paddle. Like canoes, paddles are designed for specific uses and include wilderness tripping, paddling in rivers and whitewater, racing, and solo paddling and ‘freestyle’ paddling. And some are made especially for junior. There is one best suited for your needs. You will find our guide organized by paddle use, materials, blade dimensions and shaft length. Remember to select the length of a paddle that fits you best. For more information read about paddles before making your final selection.

SELECT A PADDLE BY USE:

Wilderness Tripping/'Freestyle'Modeled after the classical designs like the ottertail, beavertail, voyageur and Algonquin; these paddles feature long, slender blades, ideal for long trips when paddling from dawn until dusk or for days-on-end. And, if you’re looking for that paddle best suited for the Canadian ‘freestyle’ paddling stokes you will find them in this section.

River/WhitewaterDesigned with shorter, wider and stiffer blades. These paddles respond to the quick power maneuvers required when paddling fast water and whitewater conditions of rivers and streams. Blade styles include; beavertail, Sugar-island, and whitewater.

RecreationalDesigned with recreational use in mind, the features of these paddle blades include stiffer flex to increase stroke efficiency, with a shorter, wider blade and shapes like the beavertail, Sugar-island, and the squared-off whitewater style. These paddles offer the widest range of canoeing applications from a single paddle.

RacingDesigned with a bent shaft to provide power and paddling efficiency by using shorter strokes and increasing stroke-rates. These paddles are ideal for racing but can be fun for recreational use as well. The blade styles include Sugar-island, whitewater and squared-off versions of both styles.

YouthScaled down versions of their adult-sized counterparts, these paddles are designed with kids in mind. They are shorter with smaller blades, lightweight, balanced and durable.

Solo/Double-bladedDesigned for solo ‘play’ and whitewater paddling. These paddles are similar to the double-bladed kayak styles but manufactured in shorter lengths with narrow, symmetrical blades keeping the solo canoeists in mind.